Supermarket shelves could be risk being left empty if planned rail strikes go ahead at the end of the month, industry sources have advised.

Previously ministers were privately warned by the rail freight industry of “potentially severe” impacts from the biggest walkouts in the sector for years, including supply chain disruption.

Despite Network Rail working to prioritise “nationally important” freight lines, there is still a genuine risk the strikes could lead to empty supermarket shelves in the week starting 21st June when three walkouts are currently planned.

Supermarkets in particular may find it difficult to cope as rail often helps deliver products from warehouses to individual stores, which do not have the capacity to stockpile.

These products are also often sent on long journeys, for example from the Midlands to Aberdeen or the North West to London, that are difficult to replace with road haulage, a sector already suffering a driver shortage.

Rail is also increasingly being used by supermarkets to transport goods but in reaction to the news, Iceland’s boss took to social media to reassure consumers that their supermarket wouldn’t be affected by rail strikes.

It will be the sector’s biggest industrial action for a generation when members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on three separate days stretched across a week.

Seven Refrigeration continues to support the food industry by providing additional storage so stores can receive additional food, so it is ready to be placed on shop shelves to keep up with demand.